Aircraft armament



Oct. l2, 1943.

c. H.'A. HARTLEY 4 2,331,470

AIRCRAFT ARMAMENT v Filed Oct. 10, 1940 FE- Z ATTO ,NEY l Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTpx-:nca

AIRCRAFT aluviarrEN'ry Croydon H. A. Hartley, Garden ('Jlty,` N. Y.,'as

signor to Republic Aviation Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 10, 19401,Seial No. 360,555 v s claims. (ci. sol-1.5)

This invention relates to aircraft armament and more particularly to bomb racks for airplanes. l

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved bomb release mechanism of simple and rugged construction, reliably operative in extended service.

Another object is to provide a bomb releasing rack having a release mechanism capable of carrying and discharging a relatively heavy bomb and requiring only a minimum of force to actuate the release, thereby to obviate any risk of jamming and to minimize friction and wear of the parts.

The invention has reference to bomb racks such as shown in the copending application of Pishvanov, Serial No. 210,628 (Patent No. 2,278,482, granted April 7, 1942), illed May 28, 1938, in which mechanism is provided for releasing the series of bombs on the rack, either one at a time, in rapid sequence, or in salvo.

In the drawing Figures 1 and 2 are elevational views partly in section of the bomb release mechanism, Figure l showing the mechanism in cocked position and Figure 2 showing the mechanism after release of the bomb.

Figure 3 is a top elevational View of the mechanism, and.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line l-d of Figure 1.

An elongate frame 6 provides support for the operating and releasing mechanism of the bornb rack and includes a pair of angle members 'I in between which the release mechanism is arranged. The frame 6 is provided to support a series of bomb release units, one of which is shown, these units being arranged at intervals along the frame 6.

Each release unit includes a hook or catch 8 having a tongue 9 on which the bomb is hung, being retained thereon in the cocked position of the mechanism by the edges of a slot I formed in the depending flange of each angle member 1. The hook 8 is preferably in the form of a bellcrank having an upstanding arm 'II arranged'substantially at right angles to the tongue 9 and is pivoted at I2 to swing between cocked and releasing position, the latter being dened by engagement of a shoulder I3 of the hook with a stop pin I4.

The upper portion of the arm II has a circular cutout portion I which forms a pivotal connection for a sear or trigger I6 having a correspondingly formed portion I1 fitting said cutout. The

cutout l5 1s directed radially at la to form a stop engageable with a shoulder v2li formed on the sear I 6. A spring'2I isv arranged tc urge the' sear I6 to rotate about its pivot I1 relative to the hook 8 with the stops to limit this swing.

The sear I S'has a latching shoulder 2 2 intermediate its ends'adapted to engage a iixed 'mimber, `herein a bearing block 23, to releasably hold the hook8 in cocked position as shown in Figure 1 with a bomb hanging on the tongue 9. Aspring 24, acting on the hook 8, is arranged -to urge the latter to release position. The spring 24'substitutes for the weight of the bomb in the cocking of the mechanism -before the bomb weight is supported by the tongue 9.

'I'he bearing block 23 is secured to the upper flanges of the angles 1 and rotatably supports a I9, 20 'in engagement shaft 25 constituting part ci the operatingmech- I anism for actuating the bomb releasing umts. The shaft 25 carries a cam 26 cooperating with a cam follower 21, the latter being arranged to engage the free end of the sear IB. The follower 21 is preferably an elongate spring arranged longitudinally on the frame 6 and secured at one end thereto. The free end of the spring 21 is bent laterally to form a depending lug 28 reaching between the frame angles 1 for engagement with the sear I6. A

The invention contemplates the use of suitable mechanism such, for example, as that shown in the aforesaid pending application, by vwhich to` rotate the shaft 25 a predetermined'degree. As aforeindicated, it is intended that the bomb rack' of the invention have provision for a series of bombs, usually ve,'there being a corresponding releasing unit provided .for each bomb along the rack, the` operating mechanism including shaft 25 serving to successively actuate each bomb release unit so as to discharge the bombs one after the other in a prescribed order. For this purpose each cam 280i the series has its high point angularly spaced about the shaft 25 so that all of the release umts will be actuated during one complete revolution of the shaft.

To cock the mechanism, the bomb is brought into place with its holding eyelet adjacent the tongue 9 and the hook 8 is pressed upwardly, carrying with it the sear I6 'until the latter has its shoulder 22 latched behind the bearing block 23, the spring 24 acting to retain said engagement until the weight of the bomb rests on the hook. As the shaft 25 is rotated by its operating mechanism, the high point of cam 26 presses the spring follower 21 downwardly until the shoulto the position defined by the stops I9, 20, in l readiness for cooking.

It will be seen that the form and arrangement of the spring follower 21 provides a lateral guide for the lug 28 and thus eliminates any lateral reaction on the sear I6 such as would be had with the cam. 26 directly engaging the sear. I'he 'shoulder 22, being engaged with a fixed member such as the block 23, eliminates any tendency to laterally displace the sear were same cooperating with a moving member. The pivotal association of the sear I6 and hook 8, as shown, provides an economic and rugged construction and permits the arrangement of the parts between the closely associated anges of the frame 6.

Having now made certain the nature and purposes of my invention, and at least one mode of executing same, in such manner as to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it apertains, to make and use same, as required by the statutes, that which I claim as my property, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bomb-rack, comprising an elongate frame, a plurality of hooks pivotally mounted upon the frame, each adapted to suspend a bomb and adapted to be swung bythe weight ot the y bomb to release said bomb therefrom, latching means normally restraining swinging movement of the hooks, a control shaft rotatablymounted along the frame and driving means for rotating the shaft to move successively the latching means out of restraining `position with respect to the hooks; bearings for the shaft fixed on the frame one above each hook and sears articulated to the hooks and having latching shoulders adapted to press normally against one side of said bearings so as to latch the hooks in cocked position and a releasing mechanism, including cams xed upon'the shaft on the opposite side of the bearings for depressing successively the sears out of cocked position when the shaft is rotated.

2. In a bomb-rack as recited in claim 1, a plurality of movable members interposed between said cams and the free ends of said sears and adapted to cooperate therewith to absorb lateral thrusts arising from the cams while successively depressing the sears out of cocked position when 1 the shaft is rotated.

3. In a bomb-rack as recited in claim 1, at resilient members interposed between said cams and the free end of said sears, said members being organized with said cams to act as cam-followers and being also adapted to absorb .an'd djssipate the lateral thrusts imparted by said cams while successively depressing the sears out of cocked-position when the control shaft is rotated.

CROYDON H. A. HARTLEY. 

